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  • Minnesota Governor's Proposed Capital Budget

    • Minnesota Governor's Proposed Capital Budget

    Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

    The Minnesota capital budget includes funding for tangible, public assets (like buildings, roads, or parks) rather than programs. Funding comes from a variety of sources, including general obligation bonds, user-financed bonds, revenue bonds, and general fund cash.

    Each biennium, the governor is required to submit a three-part budget to the Minnesota Legislature: a budget message, a detailed proposed operating budget, and a proposed capital expenditures budget. Parts one and two are presented in January or February of odd-numbered years and part three, the proposed capital budget, in January of even-numbered years. In addition, a smaller supplemental capital budget is sometimes proposed in odd-numbered years.

    The requirement that the governor submit a proposed capital budget was added by the 1974 legislature (Laws of Minnesota 1974 Chapter 355 section 43). In 1991, the capital budget process saw some major reforms including a requirement that "the detailed capital budget must include recommendations for capital projects to be funded during the next six fiscal years" rather than for the next two fiscal years. (Laws of Minnesota 1991 Chapter 342 sections 2-6.) The requirement that the governor's proposed capital budget be submitted in even-numbered years was added in 1993. (Laws of Minnesota 1993 Chapter 192 section 53).

    Planning for the capital budget begins well before the governor's proposal is released in January. Agencies and local units of governments each submit preliminary capital budget requests to the Minnesota Management and Budget agency. Those preliminary requests are compiled and released the summer before the governor's proposed capital budget is issued.

    Reports:

    Additional reports related to the capital budget process are available in the collection of the Legislative Reference Library. (Library catalog)

    Minnesota Management & Budget reports:

         Minnesota's Capital Budget 

         Historical Bond Authorizations  

         General Obligation Bonds Authorized, Issued, and Unissued

         Report on Expenditure of Bond Proceeds

    Minnesota House Research Department report:

         Capital Investment and State Bonding

    Selected reports related to the history and development of the current proposed capital budget process:

    1988 - Minnesota's Legislative Building Commission. Senate Counsel & Research.

    1989 - Legislative Capital Budgeting: Options for Change. Senate Counsel & Research. 

    1991 - Report of the Joint Legislative Study on Capital Needs.

    2024 Proposed Capital Budget (2024/2029)

    Governor Tim Walz (January 2024)

    Transmittal Letter

    2022 Proposed Capital Budget (2022/2027)

    Governor Tim Walz (January 2022)

    Transmittal Letter

    2021 Proposed Capital Budget (2021)

    Governor Tim Walz (February 22, 2021)

    2020 Proposed Capital Budget (2020/2025)

    Governor Tim Walz (January 15, 2020)

    Transmittal Letter

    2019 Proposed Capital Budget (2019)

    Governor Tim Walz (February 26, 2019)

    2018 Proposed Capital Budget (2018/2023)

    Governor Mark Dayton (January 2018)

    Transmittal Letter

    2017 Proposed Capital Budget (2017)

    Governor Mark Dayton (January 4, 2017)

    2016 Proposed Capital Budget (2016/2021)

    Governor Mark Dayton (January 15, 2016)

    2015 Proposed Capital Budget (2015)

    Governor Mark Dayton (April 7, 2015)

    2014 Proposed Capital Budget (2014/2019)

    Governor Mark Dayton (January 15, 2014)

    Transmittal Letter

    2013 Proposed Capital Budget (2013)

    Governor Mark Dayton (April 6, 2013)

    2012 Proposed Capital Budget (2012/2017)

    Governor Mark Dayton (January 17, 2012)

    2010 Proposed Capital Budget (2010/2015)

    Governor Tim Pawlenty (January 15, 2010)

    2008 Proposed Capital Budget (2008/2013)

    Governor Tim Pawlenty (January 15, 2008)

    2006 Proposed Capital Budget (2006/2011)

    Governor Tim Pawlenty (January 17, 2006)

    2004 Proposed Capital Budget (2004/2009)

    Governor Tim Pawlenty (January 14, 2004)

    2002 Proposed Capital Budget (2002/2007)

    Governor Jesse Ventura (January 14, 2002)

    Transmittal Letter

    2001 Proposed Capital Budget (2001/2006)

    Governor Jesse Ventura (January 23, 2001)

    Transmittal Letter

    2000 Proposed Capital Budget (2000/2005)

    Governor Jesse Ventura (January 14, 2000)

    Transmittal Letter

    1998 Proposed Capital Budget (1998/2003)

    Governor Arne Carlson (January 14, 1998)

    Transmittal Letter

    1996 Proposed Capital Budget (1996/2001)

    Governor Arne Carlson (January 8, 1996)

    Transmittal Letter

    1995 Proposed Capital Budget (1995/1999)

    Governor Arne Carlson (January 24, 1995)

    Transmittal Letter

    1994 Proposed Capital Budget (1994/1999)

    Governor Arne Carlson (February 1, 1994)

    Transmittal Letter

    1993 Proposed Capital Budget (1993/1994)

    Governor Arne Carlson (January 26, 1993)

    Transmittal Letter

    1992 Proposed Capital Budget (1992/1993)

    Governor Arne Carlson (March 5, 1992)

    1991 Proposed Capital Budget (1991/1993)

    Governor Arne Carlson (March 1991)

    1990 Proposed Capital Budget (1990/1991)

    Governor Rudy Perpich (March 1, 1990)

    1987 Proposed Capital Budget (1987/1989)

    Governor Rudy Perpich (February 13, 1987)

    Transmittal Letter

    1985 Proposed Capital Budget (1986/1987)

    Governor Rudy Perpich (March 15, 1985)

    Transmittal Letter

    1984 Proposed Capital Budget (1985/1986)

    Governor Rudy Perpich (February 1, 1984)

    Transmittal Letter

    1983 Proposed Capital Budget (1984/1985)

    Governor Rudy Perpich (April 8, 1983)

    Transmittal Letter

    1981 Proposed Capital Budget (1982/1983)

    Governor Al Quie (April 10, 1981)

    Transmittal Letter

    1981 Proposed Capital Budget (1981)

    Governor Al Quie (Early 1981)

    Transmittal Letter

    1979 Proposed Capital Budget (1980/1981)

    Governor Al Quie (April 9, 1979)

    Transmittal Letter

    1977 Proposed Capital Budget (1978/1979)

    Governor Rudy Perpich (March 21, 1977)

    Transmittal Letter

    1975 Proposed Capital Budget (1975/1977)

    Governor Wendell Anderson (January 27, 1975)

    Transmittal Letter

    Budgets